Seventeen.

I’ve always loved fresh flowers. I remember for one of my birthdays as a kid, my mom secretly told each guest to bring me a single flower. Once everyone arrived, I was left with a beautiful, eclectic bouquet. It was such a special way for my mom to honor that love of mine. Later, when I was 16, Kraig would often show up at my front door with flowers in hand. He knew how they spoke to my heart- especially in the hands of a boy that loved me well. Years later, on our wedding day, my love of flowers was able to be displayed so beautifully. Our ceremony and reception were filled with an abundance of flowers. My bouquet was absolutely stunning. After that day, I knew I always wanted a home filled with fresh flowers. In our old house, I’d buy flowers weekly during my grocery shopping. I enjoyed filling vases around the house with the pops of color, but always wished they were more accessible than having to go to the store.

When we moved out to this land and decided to plant a garden, I knew cut flowers were something I wanted to try and grow so that I could walk outside to gather the flowers I love. I planted Zinnias, Cosmos, Sunflowers, Black Eyed Susans, and a pack of wildflower seeds for good measure. This evening, under the warm glow of the golden hour, I harvested my first bouquet. It was one of the many, many moments that I’ve thought to myself, “I can’t believe this place is our home!”

The bouquet is simple and wild. It’s the perfect display of our lives out here! It’s now sitting on our kitchen table and just looking at it brings me such joy and contentment. We did it. We worked hard to get the right soil, plant the seeds at the right time, water enough, prune, and weed. It’s a daily effort, and that wild and free bouquet on our table is such a sweet reminder of the beauty that can come from nothingness.